Action and Illusion
by Butterfly Stomper
Summary: (This takes place after the Spiderman 2... so this has to do with the movie.) Lotus, a girl bent on revenge. But what for and who must face her wrath? There is also something strange about this girl. What is this thing that is so strange?
1. Prologue: The Past Dreams

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING having to do with Spiderman. I only own the characters I make up myself. OK, so read on.

Author: This is an idea I got almost the moment after the second movie ended, so I have been working on it. This is my first Spiderman fic so bare with me.

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Prologue: The Past Dreams

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A loud crash startled the girl, who lifted her head off her pillow. Soon, she heard commotion in the hallway outside her door. She opened her door and looked out into the hallway.

Girls about her age were running past toward the elevators and stairs.

"What's going on?" asked the girl to another

"Something is happening to the old pier," exclaimed the other girl.

The girl in the door watched as her answerer ran with the others into an open elevator. Then, the girl went inside her room and looked out the window. From there, she could see the old pier, which seemed to be collapsing in on itself. "No," she said in a low tone.

The girl soon turned and ran out of her room. She ran to the stairs and went down 18 flights to the bottom level.

Everyone was standing outside, watching the old pier from afar. The girl went around the crowd and started to run toward the pier.

"LOTUS!!!" cried an adult.

But she didn't hear them, the girl just ran. Even when the police cars pasted her, she continued to run.

When she arrived at the start of the pier, the police had already blocked it off and there was already a crowd of people. The girl through the crowd, but didn't stop when she had gotten to the front, she continued to run.

A cop grabbed her as she went past. Feeling frantic, she did the first thing that came to her mind; she kicked him in the knee. When he had let go, she started to run again.

She was fast, really fast, she ran past some other officers and two seemingly random people. She reached to end of the pier fairly quickly and stared down at the water.

She watched the light of the mini sun fade into the murky water. She also saw three other lights flicker to a halt; these were from the arms… his arms. "No, please no," she said in a childish voice. The young 15-year-old girl didn't take her eyes off the water as they started to fill with tears.

The cops reached her just as her collapsed in sadness, her hands covering her face.

"Hay, this is a restricted…." The officer stopped when he saw her collapse. The police ran up around her. "Miss, are you ok?" asked one of the officers.

She uncovered her face and looked at them. "I am alone." 

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Lotus shot up in her bed, her eyes slightly watery. She looked around quickly, then realized she was in her room. "That dream," Lotus wiped her eyes and swung her legs over the side of the bed. "That memory," she scooted off the bed and walked over to the window, looking at the old pier.

Lotus felt that the incident had happened yesterday, though it was a month and a half old.

Lotus turned and walked over to a shelf, where there were pictures. She picked one up and turned to the light, turning it on making it easier to see.

The picture was from her 8th birthday party. She was sitting in the middle of a crowd of kids about the same age. Her parents were off to the left, smiling happily at the camera. Also in the picture, to the right, was on other person. He was a friend of her dad's; more like a brother then he never had because like Lotus, her dad was an only child. So, to the 8 year old in the picture, the man was like an uncle, her only uncle because her mother was an only child, too.

Lotus remembered this date, but how could she forget, since this was the last picture of her parents and her together. For it was taken two months before they died in a car crash.

Lotus looked again at her non-related uncle, a smile tugged at her face. She remembered that after reading the wills of bother her parents, she was sent from Philadelphia to New York to live with her non-related uncle and his wife. This was because that in both wills, it stated that she was to live this them if anything where to happen to her parents.

Lotus put the picture down and laid back down in her bad, looking up at the ceiling. "How I miss you, NR uncle Otto Octavious."

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((Ok, NR means non-related, just for your info. Please... review.)) 


	2. Chapter 1: Youth by water’s edge

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING having to do with Spiderman. I only own the characters I make up myself. OK, so read on. 

Auther: Ok, now this is the when the story begins, I hope you liked the intro and I hope you like chapter 1.

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Chapter 1: Youth by water's edge

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The rising sun shined through the windows into Lotus's room. It was at such an angle that it hit her eyes straight on. She moaned, turning over onto her side, then slowly opened her eyes.

_I hate the mornings,_ she thought. She lifted her eyes, looking at the clock on her nightstand; 8:54 it read. _Well, breakfast is starting to be served; if I hurry up I can get some hot food._

Lotus sat up slowly, supporting herself with her arms. Once she knew that she wouldn't fall back on her pillow, she swung her legs over the side of the bed and pushed off. She walked over to her closet, pulling out a robe and slippers and, putting them on, went out her door, to the elevators.

Lotus lived in Bliss Youth Residence, a place where children would go when they had no home and would refuse to get adopted, so it was full of teenagers and pre-teens. The floors were separated by gender, of course, and each child had there own room. The Residence was located in one building that was 30 stories high, though; 31st floor would really be the 30th floor if there were a floor 13, which there wasn't. So, Lotus lived on the 19th floor, which she considered the 18th because of what was just stated.

Lotus got the bottom floor in a few minutes because the elevator had stopped at almost every floor. At the bottom, she was at the tail end of a stamped of kids, running out of the cramped elevator. Walking to the end of the line in the Hall of Food, she waited until it was her turn.

"Today's meal is bacon and eggs," said the breakfast man.

"Is there an alternate chose?" She asked.

He looked at her. "Lotus, you have been here long enough to know the answer to that yourself."

"Just as I thought," she said walking over to the cereal. (I wonder if they'll ever change.) She sighed and filled at bowl with Frosted Mini Wheat's, then turned and looked for a seat.

"Lotus," she heard a guy yell. She turned and saw someone waving to her from a just about empty table. "Over here."

She walked over and sat down, nearly putting her head in her breakfast. "Man, girl, you looked totally trashed," said the girl from across the table. She smiled. "What have I told you about those late night parties?"

Lotus looked at her. "Ayo, I have not been going to parties," she looked down at her food. "I have just been having bad dreams." She looked over at the guy next to her. "Where's David?"

The guy looked at her. "Last time I checked he was still asleep." He thought. "Actually, he told me last night that he would meet us today at 10:00 in front of the front doors."

Ayo looked at him. "Well, Nahele, what are we suppose to do till then?"

He smiled. "Anyone up for video games?"

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Lotus walked down the hall, her hand dug deep in her pants not saying a word as her friends talked. She was walking slowly behind them, making no sound except the squeak of her sneakers. She was looking at her feet.

"Come on, girl, there is some thin wrong with you," announced Ayo.

Nahele nodded. "Yes, you did not even play your favorite video game. That must be a bad sign."

Lotus shrugged. "I'm just not in the mood."

"Hay, guys," yelled a familiar voice. Lotus and the others looked up and saw David at the front door.

"Yo, Dave," responded Ayo.

David crossed his arms. "You people are 30 seconds late." He looked at them sternly and then began to laugh. The others joined in, all except for Lotus. David stopped laughing and looked at her. "Are you ok?"

Nahele looked at Lotus and then at David. "She is feeling under the weather," he said.

David smiled and put his hands on his hips. "Nothing a little walk can't clear up," he then turned and started to walk toward the doors, with Lotus and the others close behind.

A guard soon stopped them. "Where do you think YOU are going?"

The four looked up at him. "We have passes that say that every Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday, we can go for a walk up to 6 hours long," stated David.

The guard looked at them. "Oh yeah, well, then let ME see your passes." The four of them took out their passes and showed them to the guard. "Fine, then YOU can go"

"Thank you, my good sir," said Nahele as he walked out, David fallowed, then was Ayo and last was Lotus.

The four walked down the street, Lotus was actually keeping up with them, though she was still silent. David looked over at her. "So what is wrong?" he asked.

Lotus glanced at him. "I had that dream again."

"You mean the one where you are standing in the middle of Times Square butt naked?"

Ayo looked at him. "No, man, that is your dream."

David thought. "Oh yeah." Ayo sighed.

Lotus shook her head. "No, the one where I see the person I love die right in front of me."

The three of them frowned along with Lotus, then Nahele got an idea. "How about we walk down by the water? We can get something to eat and watch the ships pass."

Lotus looked at him and smiled. "That sounds like fun."

"Do I see a smile on the grumpy lumps face?" stated David.

Ayo pushed him and he glared at her. "What? Lotus told me to." She stated.

The friends walked down to where the sidewalk turned to wood, and then started to walk along the waterside. Lotus listen to her friends as she walked along with them, she was starting to smile. Soon, something caught her eye; it was the old pier. She strayed off from the group and walked over to the railing, looking at the wrecked end of the pier. She looked down at the water and sighed. She then saw something flicker in the water, it attracted her so much, she went under the railing and landed in the cold two-foot high water by the sidewalk. Paying the temperature no heed, she went reached into the water and pulled out a pair of sunglasses. These she recognized as the once that he un-related uncle wore.

These glasses were slightly crack in the right glass and the left arm was missing. Lotus smiled at them. Suddenly, a current grabbed her leg and pulled her under. She only had enough time to scream 'HELP!!!' before she was submerged.

Her friends went to the railing and saw her in the water. "LOTUS!!!!" they yelled.

Under the water, she couldn't hear them. Still tightly holding on to the sunglasses, she scrambled to reach the surface but had no luck. Just about at the end of her air, she felt something rap around her arm and pull her out of the water. This thing set her gently down on the walk.

"Hay, Lotus," she heard David's voice say. "Spiderman just saved you."

Opening her eyes, she saw his hard-to-miss outfit. She also saw Nahele walk over to him. "Thank you for saving her," he said.

Spiderman nodded and looked at Lotus. "Just remember to stay on this side of the railing next time," then he swung off.

Lotus glared after him, her face was not that of thanks. She then looked at her hand; she was still holding the glasses. She sighed. Then she looked up and saw Ayo. "Girl, we need to get you back to The Residence. You need some dry clothes."

Lotus nodded and stood up; she was too cold to talk. As she and her friends started to walk, she felt something warm on her; it was a towel. She looked over and saw a store manager smile. "It is for free," he said. Lotus smiled back then turned and started to walk again.

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In a chair, on the roof of the building, Lotus sat looking out at the city. She was one of the few kids who had passes to go on the roof. She was in deep thought. The day seemed to go by so fast after that encounter with Spiderman. In her hand were the sunglasses; she twirled them around.

"That wall crawler," she said to herself. "It's his fault, I know it is." She looked at the glasses. "He convinced my uncle to kill himself in order to stop something at he viewed as evil. That Spiderman didn't even see that my non-related uncle was trying to help mankind, he just wanted publicity of saving the city," her eyes narrowed. "He didn't even try to save him. Even if something was going on, who got the medal for saving us? That wed slinger, not the real hero, my uncle."

She sat back in the chair and looked up at the sky. "Oh man, how sweet it would be to have revenge."

((Ok, that was chapter 1.... I hope you enjoyed it, please review I hope you do.))


	3. Chapter 2: Bullet Wound

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING having to do with Spiderman. I only own the characters I make up myself. OK, so read on.

Auther: Ok, here is chapter two. I will like to take this time to say thanks to my reviewers:

Repto-- Well, here is some more and thanx for the review.

SoaringWings-- Thanks for that nice review.

Ok... now enjoy.

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Chapter 2: Bullet Wound

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It was a dull rainy Monday morning and for Lotus, there was nothing to do. It had been two days since her encounter with Spiderman and it still hadn't lifted from her mind.

Currently, Lotus was lying in her room, listening to the rainfall outside. She was keeping her door open to let air flow into her fairly warm room. Her air conditioner was broken.

"Hay, Lotus," said a voice at the door. Lotus looked over and saw a girl looking in. This girl was from a room down the hall, she was the youngest girl on that floor.

"Hello Jenna," responded Lotus. "What do you want?" she looked at the ceiling.

The 12-year-old girl smiled. "Is it true that you were saved by Spiderman?"

Lotus looked back at her. "That was two days ago," she replied. Jenna was the biggest fan of Spiderman and at points it could get pretty annoying. "Couldn't you have asked me earlier?"

Jenna shook her head. "No, I wasn't able to."

Lotus sat up. "I've been in the building for these past days. They haven't let me out."

"So, it's a big building," stated Jenna. "Anyway, were you?"

Lotus rolled her eyes. _Man, it's hopeless trying to explain anything to her. Oh well._ She thought, and then looked at Jenna. "Yes."

Jenna's eyes lit up and she smiled. "Really? Can I shake the hand that Spiderman touched?"

Lotus looked at her awkwardly then sighed. _What ever makes her go away._ Then lifted her hand. "Fine."

The 12-year-old ran into the room and grabbed the hand with both of hers. She squeaked as she shook Lotus's hand, who in return just shook her head.

Jenna let go and smiled at Lotus. "Thanks Lotus," she said then ran out of the room.

Lotus looked after her. "If only she knew what I do," then she laid back down. "Man I'm bored."

She then sat up again, getting off her bad and walking over to her dresser. She opened one of the drawers and pulled out a packet of pictures.

"I haven't looked at these yet," she stated closing the drawer. "These are from that old disposable I found when I was gathering stuff up from the apartment," she went back to her bad and sat down, opening the packet.

She smiled as she looked at the pictures. Some were from her 14th birthday party two Aprils ago. Others were from the trip she and her non-related aunt and uncle had taken down to Florida last summer. Then she flipped to a picture she didn't recognize a first soon it came to her. This and the following eight pictures were of the mechanical arms that Otto had made.

"I remember taking these," said Lotus. "But I don't remember why," she then started to rummage through her memories.

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The moon shined through the windows into her room. Using this light, Lotus opened a drawer and took out a disposable camera. She put on her PJ pants and slippers and walked to the door, opening it slowly. Stinking her head out, the 14-year-old girl looked around for any signs of activity.

"They're both asleep," she smirked and stepped out of her room, closing the door behind her. The full moon made walking down the stairs easy. She turned into the kitchen, grabbing a flashlight as she walked through. She got to the den and through it to the opposite wall. There was a steel door on that wall with heavy locks and a keypad next to it.

This door was to the safe room, in which was where non-related uncle was keeping those arms he'd been working on. She went over to the keypad and punched in a code, which opened to door. She had seen Otto punch in the code, though he had told her the close her eyes.

Lotus slowly walked in, turning on the flashlight. The walls of the room where metal with no windows and the floor was concrete. In the middle of the room were the arms.

She put down the flashlight and took out the camera. She started to take pictures and smiled as she did. "This is going to help me a lot. With the detail that these pictures will provide, I'll be able to create own set to help with everyday things," she continued to take the pictures.

Suddenly she heard two voices coming from the kitchen. Oh no, she thought. She grabbed her flashlight and ran behind some nearby shelves.

Soon she heard the two voices come into the room and saw the light of two flashlights.

"Yo Greg, come look at these," said a deep male voice.

She heard footsteps and then heard a higher male voice. "Whow, those are weird," he looked at the other man. "You know, Butch, if we take this scrap metal, it would probably get us a lot of money."

Lotus's eyes widened, Otto's hard work taken and destroyed by these morons? She wouldn't allow it. "No," she said stepping in between the arms and the thieves. "You're not taking anything."

The two men were surprised that a little girl was risking her life for this piece of junk. Finally man named Greg smirked.

"Ok, little girl, move aside and we won't hurt you," he said.

"No," exclaimed Lotus, standing her ground.

"Move aside," demanded the one called Butch, pulling out a gun.

Lotus looked around the room. The light from the flashlights reflected off the metal walls and lit the room. She noticed a wrench nearby on the floor and grabbed it, throwing it that the man holding the gun. It hit him in the head, making him drop the firearm. Lotus smiled at her accomplishment, until she saw the other man pick up the gun and point it at her.

"Get out of the way you brat," commanded the thief.

"Make me," she shouted.

The man narrowed his eyes. "Fine," he said and shot the gun. Having terrible aim, the shot didn't go where he wanted, but it did hit her. The bullet sculpted a hole right through her left hand.

Lotus collapsed on the floor, grasping her hand tightly. Blood seeped through the cracks in her fingers, making small puddles on the floor. Not lifting her eyes, she knew that both of the men were standing over her.

"Ow, my head," said Butch. "Hay, Greg, lets go. Someone must have heard that gun shot."

"No," exclaimed Greg. Still pointing the gun at her head, he bent down to her. "Now, I'm going to kill you and take the scrap anyway."

Lotus closed her eyes, fearing her impending doom. _I'm sorry_, she thought. Suddenly something clicked in her mind, like a switch had been turned to 'on'. Her eyes shot open and she looked at Greg, who gasped in what seemed like fear.

Lotus slowly stood up, still tightly holding her hand, and glared at the men. Both of them were surprised and seemed to have a hint of fear in their expressions.

Lotus's eyes were glowing pure white. "You two should have left," she stated. "Because now you're going to die."

The moment after she said that something started to form above her head. It too was glowing; it took the shape and appearance of a dragon. The men wanted to run, but fear kept them in one place. Using what seemed to be a tail, the dragon figure hit the men, throwing them against the wall, and then rendering them unconscious.

The dragon figure roared then slowly faded away. Once it had vanished, Lotus's eyes started to do the same, turning back into their natural brown. She swerved, on the verge of collapsing herself, then did so. She fell toward the concrete floor but before she hit it something caught her. This thing lowered her slowly to the ground, so as not to let her head get ignored. Lotus tried to open her eyes to see what had caught her, but before she could, she blacked out.

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Lotus slowly returned to the present after her trip into her memories. She smiled. "I was lucky no one found that camera or else Otto would have been suspicious of me," she paused and looked at her left hand. In her palm was the scar from the hole that he bullet had carved. She sighed.

Looking back at the pictures, Lotus thought of something. "I really haven't been doing much with my illusions this past month." She put down the pictures and focused her eyes on her right hand. Soon, something started to from her palm. This thing took on the appearance of a cat. This cat was the size of a small statuette; it walked around her palm, then sat and started to like itself.

"I seem to be getting better with my mental illusions, even though I haven't been practicing. She looked at the cat, which slowly faded away. Lotus stood up and started to walk around her room.

"I doubt that's the same with my physical illusions, since it takes a lot more control, focus and detail," she paused as she continued to think. "I mean of course it would. Physical illusions can interact with their surroundings, once all the detail is in place. All mental illusions do is stand there and look real."

Lotus took a breath, since she had no more air left to talk with. Suddenly she heard something and looked down at her belly.

"Hay, girl, I didn't know your stomach could sing," said a familiar voice from the door. Lotus looked up and saw Ayo.

"Ayo," Lotus said surprised. "How long have you been standing there?" she asked, worried that she had heard her talk about her illusions.

"No more than half a second," responded Ayo. "All I heard was you stomachs solo performance."

Lotus sighed in relief then looked at her friend. "So, what brings you to floor 19?" she asked.

Ayo stood up from her leaning against the doorframe and walked into the room. "I was wonder' in if you were hungry, but your stomach answered that for me.

Lotus looked slightly embarrassed, then looked over at her clock. "Well, it's about lunch time," she looked back at Ayo. "And I need some food."

"Then lets go, girl," said Ayo. "The food is not come' in to you," Lotus smiled and, putting on her shoes, fallowed her friend out of the room.

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Lotus stood on the roof, looking out at the city lights. The chairs were still wet from the rain that had stopped only a few hours earlier. The light from the waning moon was shinning dimly through the temporary brakes in the clouds.

She looked down at the street just as a figure swung over the cars toward the flashing lights in the distance. Her eyes narrowed. "Off to catch the spot light again," she sneered.

She turned and walked to the middle of the roof. "How I long for revenge. Revenge for taking away the last person whom was dear to me," she looked at the ground.

Suddenly, she thought of something. "Of course," she said. "My physical illusions, the ones that can interact… even destroy their surroundings," she smirked and looked in the direction that Spiderman had gone. "He will never see this coming."

She then realized something. "I have to leave The Residence. Perfecting my illusions to the point of battle is going to take a while and if I stay here, they will get suspicious," she said, thinking. "Now that I think of it, the only way to leave is by illusion. That's the only way to get through the new security system they installed those few weeks ago. And none of my physical illusions are ready to do such a thing," she sighed. "Oh well, school doesn't start for another few months, if I really work I can be out of here before then."

She looked back at the city. "I must be patient, for I will get my revenge, no matter how long it takes," she then turned and walked toward the stairs.

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Ok, that is that.... I mean that is the end of chapter 2. Ok... the next chapter is going to have jump in time. So to see how long of a jump... tune in next time for CHAPTER 3!!! Until then, please review. Thanx.


	4. Notice

Ok, sorry that you most likely thought that is was the next chapter but I had to put this. I'm going to be gone for the next ten days so I won't be able to put up the next chapter. But To let you know I will be working on it and will put it up when I get back. Ok, sorry about ruining you hope if you had any. I will be working on it and for a treat I will put up an explanation of her power after I put up the next chapter.

-Auther 


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